WHAT IS ADDICTION?
Before this section starts, keep in mind that no one neurotransmitter system,structure or pathway works in a vacuum. Any change in one will modulate several others. There are epigenetic changes on the order of thousands. Genetic predispositions can get you to the addicted phenotype much quicker. Lastly, inflammatory factors change an organism’s ability to return to homeostasis post injury.
Addiction is a confluent amalgamation of dysfunctions, a.k.a. a hot mess of systemic alterations in the brain. It goes a little something like this.In early stages of addiction, repeated phasic dopamine bursts foster epigenetic and compensatory alterations to gene expression in vital areas like Dopamine 2 receptors (just one example of many), specifically the promoter regions. DNA methylation and acetylation that occur post supra-physiological stimulation from things like high fat, sugary diets and drugs of abuse lead to a decrease in resting D2R expression and higher levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Decreased D2R allows excitatory dopamine increases which are then followed by dysfunctional glutamatergic signaling from an imbalanced ratio of AMPA to NMDA receptors, along with transport and antiporter exchange problems that are driven by inflammation and astrocytic dysfunction. A similar occurrence happens with GABA, the inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the central amygdala. Primarily it is a transport problem with GABA Transporter 3, as shown by autopsies of alcoholic brains. To make things worse, Oxytocin is stifled during addiction which leads to a host of inabilities to balance other neurotransmitters it is coupled with. Later in addiction, the gut becomes permeable and the microbiome loses diversity. Considering that 90% of serotonin, 50% of dopamine and a good portion of other neurotransmitters are manufactured there, this becomes a problem as well. Let the hijacking begin!
This sets the stage for a condition in which the addict brain assigns more importance to expected stimuli yet receives less pleasure from them than a normal subject would. It takes less to motivate an addict and more to satisfy them. At the same time, inflammatory damage to the glutamatergic neuronal realm and astrocytes generates hyperactivity in the amygdala and induces decreased hippocampal function. As a result, increased resting anxiety and fear further exacerbate addictive motivations in search of relief. Improper neuroplastic alterations, driven by extrasynaptic glutamate assigns exaggerated importance to cues and memories associated with the pursuit. These new bidirectional roads connect the prefrontal cortex to addiction centric areas like the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens and amygdala. This circuitry is constantly communicating that an anxiety ridden, pleasureless, fearful and dying feeling is afoot. Unfortunately, it is telling this to the prefrontal cortex that is just savvy enough to figure out how to perpetuate the cycle of addiction. Moreover, metabolism in the prefrontal cortex is severely degraded during addiction. I will show you a bit later in brain scans. Executive function is compromised and not capable of choosing rationale decision making over “survival”, or continued use.
So, this is the recipe for addiction. Of course, that is not the whole story; yet it is the crux. Why would the brain do this? The one driving thing among creatures is survival. Dopamine is the survivor molecule and the brain associates its release with something critical to maintain it. So it follows that the pursuit of high dopamine output stimuli would be a top priority for a brain that, at its basest level really only has one job, to survive and propagate. Unfortunately, it is using an old playbook in a changed world. The dopamine spikes that used to occur with a big kill, a sweet fruit source or a hot potential mating partner, now fire off for designer drugs, modified foods and porn. Just doing its job like a good soldier, the brain amends to ensure their pursuit for survival purposes. Here are crucial hallmarks of the addicted brain as shown by scans, autopsies, sequencing and blood work.
D2 receptors ⬇️
Oxytocin. ⬇️
GABA transport. ⬇️
Glutamate exitotoxicity ⬆️
Excitatory Dopamine. ⬆️
Inflammation ⬆️
(ILb-1, IL-6, TNF-a)
Overactive Amygdala. ⬆️
Hippocampal function. ⬇️
Gut dysbiosis ⬆️
Serotonin. ⬇️
Astrocytic Integrity. ⬇️
Epigenetic alterations. ⬆️
Gut and Microbiome. ⬇️
Does this list everything? Not even close! But, it is enough. Is my summation perfect? I highly doubt it, let’s just say no as I am sure that is the case. But, it is enough. From my experience of addressing and correcting the above in my clients, these targets yield phenomenal results. It is enough to recover and is very doable in a short amount of time. You must be asking why this strategy hasn’t been implemented by medical providers? Money, cash, moolah, cheddar. Big Pharma and rehab providers cannot monetize the agents I use and honestly get no benefit from anyone actually recovering. Rehabs enjoy 30K a stay for addicts and know that their 5-8% success rate guarantees repeat customers. Talking about feelings and carpet bombing everyone with SSRI’s obviously doesn’t work, but it is lucrative. Pharmaceutical whores jump in on the never ending prescription assault on downstream symptoms. Depression, anxiety and fear are mere reflections of the dysfunctions above, not the answer to a cure. It’s like treating a gaping head wound with medicines for vertigo and nausea, I mean that is what the patient is feeling right? Instead, we here at Addiction Science Institute fix the causes and realize the downstream symptoms dissipate in line with actual systemic healing and homeostasis. While I am on one, serotonin does not get a person into addiction and SSRI’s will not free one from it either. Commercial addiction care is malpractice when so much exciting, science based healing is at our disposal. Life changing peptides, natural drugs and anti inflammatory agents are here and now. I am going to break down each treatment target and give you science based and backed treatment for each. It really is that simple. Furthermore, you won’t just come out of this a non addict, you will emerge as an optimized human. I have optimization protocols to employ once addiction is no longer the focus. It’s okay to feel great, hell, you might even like it. Become an alpha; impose your will on this world that has been dragging you around by your hair for too long!
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